On Goodness

Z honggong asked about goodness. The Master said: when you go out, treat everyone as if you were receiving an honored guest. Handle the people as if you were conducting a great sacrifice. What you do not want for yourself, do not do to anyone else. Then no one will hold a grudge against you, in the state or at home. Zhonggong asked about ren. The Master said: When you go out, behave as if meeting a great guest; employ the people as if assisting at a great sacrifice. What you do not want for yourself, do not impose on others. In the state, none will resent you; in the household, none will resent you.

Fan Chi asked about goodness. The Master said: love people. He asked about wisdom. The Master said: know people. Fan Chi asked about ren. The Master said: Love others. He asked about wisdom. The Master said: Know others.

Yan Hui asked about goodness. The Master said: master yourself and return to ritual — that is goodness. Master yourself and return to ritual for a single day, and the whole world turns back toward goodness. It starts with you. How could it start with anyone else? Yan Hui said: may I ask for the details? The Master said: if it breaks the ritual, do not look at it; if it breaks the ritual, do not listen to it; if it breaks the ritual, do not say it; if it breaks the ritual, do not do it. Yan Hui said: I am not quick, but let me work at these words. Yan Hui asked about ren. The Master said: To subdue the self and return to li is ren. Subdue the self and return to li for one day, and all under Heaven will turn to ren. Doing ren proceeds from oneself — how could it proceed from others? Yan Hui said: May I ask its particulars? The Master said: What is contrary to li, do not look at; what is contrary to li, do not listen to; what is contrary to li, do not say; what is contrary to li, do not do. Yan Hui said: Though Hui is not clever, let him put these words into practice.

“What you do not want for yourself, do not do to anyone else.”

Zigong said: suppose a man spread benefits widely among the people and could relieve everyone — what about him? Could you call him good? The Master said: why stop at good? That would make him a sage. Even Yao and Shun fell short of it. The good person is this: wanting to stand, he helps others stand; wanting to get through, he helps others get through. To take what is near at hand — yourself — as the measure for others: that is the method of goodness. Zigong said: Suppose someone broadly benefited the people and could aid the multitude — how is that? Could he be called ren? The Master said: Why only ren? Surely he would be a sage. Even Yao and Shun fell short of this. Now the man of ren: wishing to establish himself, he establishes others; wishing to advance himself, he advances others. To be able to take what is near as the analogy — that may be called the method of ren.

The Master said: if a person has no goodness in him, he cannot hold up long under hardship, and he cannot stay long in comfort either. The good rest easy in goodness. The wise put goodness to use. The Master said: One without ren cannot long dwell in hardship, nor long dwell in ease. The man of ren is at peace in ren; the wise profit by ren.

The Master said: only the good person can really love people, and really hate them. The Master said: Only the man of ren is able to love others and to hate others.

The Master said: riches and rank are what people want, but if they do not come by the right way, do not keep them. Poverty and obscurity are what people hate, but if they do not come by the right way, do not run from them. If the gentleman throws over goodness, how does he earn the name? The gentleman is never apart from goodness, not for the space of a single meal. In a rush he holds to it. Knocked flat, he holds to it. The Master said: Wealth and honor are what people desire, but if not gained by the Way, do not abide in them. Poverty and lowliness are what people hate, but if not avoided by the Way, do not depart from them. If the gentleman abandons ren, how can he make his name? The gentleman is never apart from ren for the length of a meal — in haste he keeps to it, in stumbling and upheaval he keeps to it.

The Master said: clever talk and a put-on face — there is not much goodness in that. The Master said: Clever words and a contrived expression — seldom are these ren.

The Master said: a person of high purpose, a person of goodness, will not save his own life at the cost of goodness. He will give up his life to complete it. The Master said: The resolute officer and the man of ren will not seek life at the expense of harming ren; there are those who give their lives to complete ren.

Zizhang asked Confucius about goodness. Confucius said: anyone who can practice five things everywhere in the world is good. He asked what they were. The answer: respect, tolerance, good faith, diligence, generosity. Be respectful and you will not be slighted. Be tolerant and you will win people. Keep good faith and people will trust you. Be diligent and you will get things done. Be generous and people will gladly work for you. Zizhang asked Confucius about ren. Confucius said: One who can practice five things everywhere under Heaven is ren. He asked what they were. The reply: reverence, breadth, trustworthiness, quickness, kindness. Reverent, you are not insulted; broad, you win the multitude; trustworthy, people give you charge; quick, you achieve results; kind, you are fit to direct others.

Fan Chi asked about goodness. The Master said: the good person takes on the hard part first and lets the gain come after. Fan Chi asked about ren. The Master said: The man of ren puts the difficulty first and the gain afterward — that may be called ren.

仁 The original Chinese · honored as an artifact

己所不欲，勿施於人。

Opening lines, classical Chinese · The Analects 論語